Author Archives: Maggie Melin Czerwinski

This January, from the comfort of your own home, you’re invited to join a free, online map-a-thon training to learn how to virtually map the conditions of your local sidewalks and bikeways.

During the training, you’ll learn how to evaluate sidewalks, curb ramps, crosswalks, and bikeways to help ensure your community is safer and more accessible for everyone.

The training will be provided by the Active Transportation Alliance and University of Illinois-Chicago’s (UIC’s) Project Sidewalk team.

Each year in May, Chicagoland celebrates Bike Month with exciting bike-related activities like community rides, educational workshops, and repair clinics.

While the Active Transportation Alliance plays a role in organizing some of these events, most are led by passionate grassroots groups and local municipalities.

These organizations are the true champions of local biking culture, quietly making a big impact by empowering people with biking skills and confidence right in their own neighborhoods.

This fall and winter, cozy up with a cup of hot chocolate and make a difference in your community!

The Active Transportation Alliance is teaming up with University of Illinois-Chicago’s (UIC’s) Project Sidewalk team to offer stipends for up to 10 volunteer groups and individuals committed to virtually mapping the conditions of their local sidewalks and bikeways.

From the comforts of your own home, you’ll get hands-on experience with cutting-edge tools to identify areas in need of improvement,

What would inspire you, your family, or friends to walk or bike more within your suburban or rural community?

Could the addition of protected bike lanes, multi-use paths, or improved sidewalk connections make a difference?

Next month, one of our state’s largest sources of funding for walking and biking infrastructure projects will become available.

Starting August 1, this key funding source — the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) — will be accepting grant applications for two months,

Want to build more excitement for biking in your community?

Last year, dozens of grassroots groups and towns celebrated Bike Month with fun bicycle-related events and activities.

These groups infused their communities with the joy of biking through activities like community bike rides, social gatherings, and cookouts.

Now you have the opportunity to do the same!

Active Transportation Alliance is delighted to again offer a series of mini-stipends to support advocacy work and community-based events that celebrate biking during Bike Month in May 2024 — and beyond.

Towards the end of 2023, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) released its 2023 Vulnerable Road User (VRU) Safety Assessment for the state.

As mandated by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the assessment identifies safety trends, policies, and strategies to enhance the safety of pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vulnerable road users.

The following are highlights from the report:

SAFETY TRENDS

IDOT compiled and analyzed safety data spanning from 2005 to 2022,

Want to get more involved in making our region a better place to walk, roll, bike, and take transit?  

If you’re interested in learning about tangible ways to make a positive difference in your community and across our region, become a Street Team Advocate!

Join one of our two-hour trainings this winter to build your advocacy skills and get up to speed on our two most pressing campaigns – Transit That Works and Safe Streets for All.  

As the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) develops its state-wide plan for improving walking and biking, dozens of organizations and municipalities are urging the state to take a bold approach with the plan.

Active Transportation Alliance has rallied together 69 organizations and municipalities that have expressed their support for a series of recommended policies and programs for IDOT to consider while developing its plan.

Here are a few examples of policies and programs that could have a positive impact on active transportation projects throughout the state:

• Encourage IDOT to formerly endorse the National Association of City Transportation Officials’

This year the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has launched a new initiative to create a roadmap for a safe, connected pedestrian and bicycle network across the state.

The Walk Roll Illinois Active Transportation Plan initiative is an update to the state’s 2014 Bike Plan, which will now include all active transportation modes. IDOT seeks to understand existing conditions, identify needs, and set community priorities to make Illinois more walkable, bikeable,